Structural expansion unit



Feb.5, 1935. w. GRUND STRUCTURAL EXPANSION UNIT Filed Sept. 4, 1931 INVENTOR. fl/i/liam ,Grund ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 5, 1935 William Grifiia;

Dtfiii'E 1931; Serial No. 561,222

xmitted to so enter' between the masonry'joints' freezes and consequently expands, loosehing and cracking the exterior masonry and rapidly resultmg disintegration.

An object of this inventiofiis to eliminate the heavy: maintenance costnecessitated wrench crackingand disintegration; Inso"doin"g I"'contemplate the use of a composite-expansion sheet or panel which will permit theadioinilfg masohry units to contract and expand'naturallywitli the shifting temperatures and which is impervious' *tothe-ingress of moisture. This sheet is to besub-i stituteolforthe mO113&Zf- OI cemenflfillersmow" placed betweenthe masonry units arld co:nsti--- tutes a water tight --sea1ing -joi-ntof" an efficient "and durable nature.- 7 a a Another object of the invention -isto make this expansioz --;sheetof a co'mpositeznature, one component of which provides the necessary elasticity to absorb theexpansionand -contraction "resulting fromfltemperature changes; the other component of which may be substantially rigid: and-of a strength comparable-with the cement ormortar fillirigs customarily used insuch' places;- Still a further object-istoprovideinexpensive structure easyrto manufacture arld---as' semble which willj'not add. materially to the present cost of laying inasonry of'the type above described? o y Various other meritorious feat ires of the invention willlbe apparent from 'the followihg de i scription taken in conjunction with "the drawing wherein: i Fig. 1 is an'elevationfpar'tlylbroken'away; of my improved composite sheet; M v

Figs 2 is a section along-2 2 of Fig. '1 Fig. 3 is a vertical section showih the-improvedfin'it between two cop'ingsi arid Fig.4 iuustr'ates a somewhat some; forriioff" exparisiohimi t supitortifi seine" he-twotompoiient elements "of my improvedof the s cop;

"mtreiflar rews extridmg mi through-the tween which the egzoarlsio 'PQIi-i di e thedepthtfthe Itfts 1mbbitanti to p inwardly -'froni"the beiighefali edg her thereof. the elastic gasket material is positioned in this marginal recess the infiltration of moisture from both ends as well as the top of the joint is prevented. The cut away portion 14 -m be positioned as desired to communicate with a substantialamount of elasticityto permit congum, such as wax gum.

the marginal recesses, but it should be spaced therefrom to provide a secondary seal along an intermediate portion of the unit.

Thegasket material 12 is positioned in the cut away portions-adapted to form a seat therefor on each sideoftheframe and shouldbe of a thickness which will insure'its extending beyond the surface'of the frame, as at 20. While no particu; lar dimensions are specified herein it has been found that it is desirable to have the-gasket project about of an inch beyondthe surface of the frame 10. w I

This gasket may be formed of anysuitable material which possesses the necessary; physical characteristics. The gasket material should have traction and expansion with the masonry surfaces between which it is interposed and should possess sufficient adhering qualities to form a moisture proof seal with the adjacent surfaces which bear againstit. A substance which has been found suitable for use in this connection comprises a composition of ground asbestos, china clay, whiting, a pigment formed ofgranu lated'slate flour, any one of a number of nondrying adhesive oils suchas linseed oil, anda certain proportionof any type v of well known 7 As clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 the composite unit is inserted between the spaced apart copings 1* 22 and 24.

In such type of construction the unit is adapted to rest in a vertical plane and it will be seen that the flexibility of the gasket 12 permits ready conformation of the sheet as a whole to any contraction .or expansion which niay take place in the copings as the result of temperature changes. The gummy substance and the adhesive oil in 'the'gasket forms a moisture proof seal between the copings and the improved unit which prevents the ingressof moisture and *the resultant cracking anddisintegration of the;

masonry." a V The u'pper extremity of the frame is provided with a channel 26 which isadapted to seat any suitable'typeoif caulking material 28. The

caulking material is inserted between the copings I been positionedtherebetweeniand serves the pur- 22 and 24 after the improved expansion sheet has pose of providingadditional security against the ingress ofmoisture while at the same time enhancing the.exteriorflappearance of the masonry Y.

workf.

"Hithertof'it as been customary to lay the masonry units as indicated in Figure 3 and to fill the crevices ther'ebetw'een with mortar up toa point short of the visible exterior line of juncture.

.The joints so formed areusually left in the con- I dition' above indicated for a long period'of time untilthe so -called .pointers come on the job to fillin the relatively shallow peripheral crevices "-'-with some kind of waterproofing or caulking material asindicated at '28. 'In the majority of instances this unfilled'shallowcrevice is 'left in its uncaulked condition for a month or more and during such time dampness and change in temperatureseriously deteriorate the mortar joint.

- beapparent. .75 there can be no ingress of moisture and The simplicity ofinserting my improved expansion joint between the adjacent masonry'units It will be further apparent 1 pansion thereof. r

subsequent cracking and disintegration [of the joint before the caulking material 28 is finally put in.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated a somewhat different type of expansion sheet and have shown it in horizontal position, supporting a sill 30. Where the unit is to be placed in a horizontal position as a support it has been found desirable to provide a gasket upon one side only of the frame,

This insures a more firm seat for sill 30. Under such circumstances its has beenfound desirable to utilize a frame 32 formed of metal such as lead, possessing a'relatively large coeflicient of expansion and contraction, and to seat the gasket 34 in the one face thereof so that it lies flush with the surface of the frame. .One face of the frame 32 is cut away. in the same manner as hitherto described in connection with Fig. land the gasket material 34;;positioned therein to lie flush with the upper surface.

A filler of caulking material 36 is utilized to fill in the outer portion of the crevice, as hitherto described. l

1 Although primarily reference herein has been made to the use of my improved expansion sheet i stood that the invention-is applicable only to masonry work.

While I havedescribed and illustrated certain preferred formsv of my improved structural unit variousmodifications thereof will be apparent tothose skilled in the art and for that reason I intend to limit, myself only within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: ,l

1. A building unit of the class described comprisingf-a .substantially rigid frame having, a

strength 'comparable to cement and being sub- 2 stantially moisture proof, cut away portions in the face of said frame, and gasket material of an elastic substance possessing adhesive'qualities imbedded in said cut away portions.

2. A building unit of the class described com prising a substantially rigid frame having a strength comparable to cementand being substantially moisture proof, cutaway portions in the face of said frame, and gasket material of an elastic substance'possessing'adhesive qualities imbedded in said cutaway portions and extending beyond the face of the frame.

3. A structural assembly comprising a pair of masonry units positionedin spaced relationship to oneanother toprovide a crevice. therebetween, and a sheet of somewhat lessdepth than said.

units having a rigidity comparable to cement or mortar, and including elastic projecting portions, interposed within said crevice, said projecting portions being spaced slightly inwardly from the entire peripheral edge of the sheet and adapted to bear, against the adjacent surfaces of said masonry units to flex with the contraction and ex- 4. A building-unit of the classdescribedcomprising a relatively rigid frame having cutaway portions in the interior ofyeach surface thereof,

and a gasket of yieldable substance imbedded in said cut away portions, said frame including a channel extending along one edge thereof throughout the major portion of its length.

5. A building unit of the class described comprising a relatively rigid frame having cut away portions in each surface thereof, a gasket of yieldable substance imbedded in said cut away portions and extending somewhat beyond the surfaces of the frame, said frame including a channel extending along one edge thereof throughout the major portion of its length.

6. A building unit of the class described comprising a frame of relatively rigid material having cut away portions disposed in the interior surface thereof, gasket material of relatively permanent elasticity positioned in said cut away portion and extending beyond the outer surface of said frame, said gasket material being adhesive, and a channeled portion extending along one edge of said frame.

7. In masonry construction, the combination of two adjacent masonry units, a waterproof expansion joint arranged therebetween, said joint having elastic side faces in intimate face to face contact with the adjacent face of said masonry units and a rigid peripheral edge, said edge terminating short of the exposed edges of said units, and waterproof caulking-material sealing the exposed crevices so formed.

8. In masonry construction, the combination of two adjacent masonry units, a waterproof expansion joint arranged therebetween, said joint having elastic side faces possessing adhesive characteristics in intimate face to face contact with the adjacent face of said masonry units and a rigid peripheral edge, said edge terminating short of the exposed edges of said units, and waterproof caulking material sealing the exposed crevices so formed.

9. An expansion joint of the class described comprising a substantially rigid frame, a recess extending around the margin of the frame in spaced relation to the peripheral edge thereof and extending through that portion of the edge adapted to form the base of the unit adjacent opposite ends thereof, and elastic gasket material positioned in and by said recess.

10. An expansion joint of the class described comprising a substantially rigid frame, a recess extending around the margin of the frame in spaced relation to the peripheral edge thereof and extending through that portion of the edge adapted to form the base of the unit adjacent opposite ends thereof, an additional recess intercommunicating with spaced portions of said first mentioned recess, and elastic gasket material positioned in and by said recess.

11. A Waterproof expansion joint insertable between adjacent structural units comprising a rigidifying base structure having on opposite sides an expandible and contractible layer of an elastic gum composition having adhesive outer surfaces adapted upon insertion between adjacent structural units to adhere at all times to the surfaces thereof to preventthe entrance of moisture therebetween and adapted to expand and contract with the expansion and contraction of the structural units.

12. A waterproof expansion joint insertable between adjacent structural units comprising a rigidifying base structure having extending from either surface adjacent the peripheral edge thereof an expandible and contractible adhesive gum composition, said gum composition adapted upon insertion of the expansion joint between structural units to expand and contract with the expansion and contraction of the structural units I adhesive gum composition adapted upon insertion of the joint between adjacent structural units to adhere at all times under all conditions of expansion and contraction to the adjacent surfaces of the structural units to form a barrier to the ingress of moisture therebetween.

14. In a structure, the combination of two adjacent structural units, a relatively rigid frame arranged between the adjacent structuralunits having an edge terminating short of the exposed' edges of said units, said frame provided with channels on the'opposite surfaces thereof, bodies of elastic adhesive material positioned in said channels and extending from the channels beyond the surfaces of said frame to adhesively contact with the adjacent surfaces of said structural units, and caulking material disposed between the exposed edges of the structural units beyond the terminating edge of the frame sealing the exposed crevice so formed.

15. In a structure, the combination of two adjacent structural units having a slight space therebetween, a relatively rigid panel of less width than said space arranged between said structural units spaced from the adjacent surfaces thereof, said panel provided with recesses in each of its surfaces, and a raised body of elastic adhesive material extending in a continuous unbroken ridge along either side of said panel having portions of its body adhesively imbedded in said recesses and other portions of its body extending outwardly beyond the sides of the panel to adhesively contact with the adjacent surfaces of the structural units, said body of material being of such an elastic adhesive composition as to adhere to the panel and to the adjacent surfaces of the structural units under all temperature conditions and to stretch and contract at all times in conformity with the variations in the width. of the space between said structural units resulting from the expansion and contraction of the latter as they are affected by temperature changes whereby a permanent moisture-proof seal is provided in the space between the structural units.

16. A waterproof expansion joint insertable between adjacent structural units comprising a relatively rigid base structure having a channel formed in the surface thereof, and a body of adhesive and elastic gum material positioned in said channel having its outer portions extending beyond the side walls of the channel, said body of gum material being of such a composition that it retains its elasticity and adhesiveness under all temperature conditions of the weather.

WILLIAM GRUND. 

